


A Final Hallows End

by TheOldMan



Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, WoW-Fandom, World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft - Hallows End
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-28 01:28:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5072686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheOldMan/pseuds/TheOldMan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is a cycle with a beginning and an end.  In the case of this husband the ending came on the same day as it began many years before.  It is Hallows End in Azeroth and for this story, it takes place near Falconwing Square.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Final Hallows End

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to try, if nothing else than to write a Hallows End story every year, though no promises. 
> 
> This year, the idea came to me while playing Deàthsinger but this has nothing to do with his story. Rather this is a bit of "lore" from one of my older character backgrounds though I do not mention him or any members of his family by name save for his wife who has never been a playable character. I will admit it's a little odd, definitely very sad in parts but there are a couple of comedic moments as well. All in all I believe it ends well and on an up note.
> 
> My writing inspiration for this story came while listening to my writing angst playlist:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFhs-DwbyNs&list=PLKsVbnP30eVQfq3Ktw4v_ge9HfIyrfbd5

I hesitantly reach down and brush the errant strand of hair aside and let my hand gently slide down, caressing her cheek. My eyes blink and I take a shuddering breath. The only thought in my mind is that she is gone, gone forever from this life and there will be a huge hole in my soul for as long as my life lasts. The hardwood casket supports the weight of my chest as I try to lean closer to the love of my life. A firm but gentle hand on my shoulder reminds me that it is time. I stand as he takes the chair I was sitting on and puts it away. I turn, with my love now behind me, to face the incoming groups of people.

They all come up, take my hand in one hand and put their other hand on the center of my chest. Their eyes say it all with caring nuances expressed with their hands. Every caring expression nearly breaks me down and yet comforts me. One by one they come, in total at the end there is a roomful and more. I look out into the sea of faces, trying to remember what I'd written down and failing utterly. In the oppressive silence I can barely hear it, but it is a child whisper and the word that catches on to my heart like a drowning man latches on to a floating log is "wickerman". Instinctively I start to smile and then deliberately I turn back to my wife, lean down and kiss her cheek. Then I return to face the crowd and begin.

"It is fitting, I suppose, that we say farewell to my love on the day, but many years later, we met. We met on the first day of Hallows End when we were but children. We bumped into each other, literally, running up to the innkeeper in Silvermoon to get a treat. I came running in from the Bazaar side and she from the Walk of Elders. The collision point was, thankfully, right in front of the innkeeper who checked us for bumps on our heads and wiped our tears and... gave us an extra sweet." I take a moment and look back at my lady and see in her face, the child she was when we met. While it squeezes my heart, it helps give me the strength to continue.

"Then came the day, after we married, the children arrived. On the first borns' day and every birthing day thereafter, we renewed our promise to each other to keep Hallows End a family tradition including each of us running into that inn like we did on that first day. The good news is that instead of bumping heads we would kiss to a chorus of "Oh Mom, Dad, go get a room!"

The warmth of the laughter, eases the pain for a moment and then the sadness strikes me, reminding me there would be no more kisses, no more Hallows End with her and the children. I can feel myself dissolving and my mind panics, trying to find a way to stop the tears, the agony, and give my lady an ending she would be proud of. I turn back to the casket, trying to get control when I feel three sets of hands touch me. I turn my head from side to side to see our two daughters and son looking at me.

"We're here, Dad. Lean on us," they whisper.

At that moment, inspiration strikes. As I intimated when I began, this is ending on the day it started so what better way than to have it end as a family. I tell my son to get the innkeeper and the girls to stand by. The innkeeper walks over and I whisper in her ear. I see a sad smile cross her face as she goes to do my bidding. Then I turn back to the crowd and send my daughters out the door.

"My friends, it is time to say your farewells. Please come forward and bid Lisandre good journeys. Then please gather with my son and daughters out in the courtyard."

I stand at the head of the casket and watch as each one says farewell. When the last person heads down the aisle, I lean down one last time and kiss my wife on the forehead. "Hope you're ready, love. It's about to get really exciting," I whisper as I close the top, seal it with a bit of magic, and wheel her down the aisle into the courtyard of Falconwing Square. 

When I arrive I can see my daughters, son, and innkeeper busily handing out candy to all the children who came with their parents. I see the parents holding flowers with a little memento to remind them of this day. And then I hear, what I was hoping to hear... 

"Prepare yourselves, the bells have tolled, shelter your weak, your young and your old,..."

"Quickly! Take cover!" I yell as I push the casket towards the middle of the square. Everyone scrambles except for me. I am counting on Headless to be predictable and indeed he accommodates me. He charges me and as he passes sets the casket on fire and it catches quickly and burns hard. People run towards me to put it out but I stop them.

"No. This is our final Hallows End together. Let her go out as she came into my life, a brilliant flash of flaming red hair and a smile as bright as the sun." I then reveal that the under carriage was set up to be a funeral pyre. 

My children then start directing the people to put out the fires on the buildings. When the fires were out and our guests cleaned up inside the inn, they come to me. We gather around as the mages gather up the ash and magically deposit a few grains into each memento held by the adults. They then bring a special ornate box and put the remainder of the ashes in it and hand it to me.

As I look down on the cask, I gently caress the top of it and whisper, "Happy Hallows End, my love."

**Author's Note:**

> **NOTE AND DISCLAIMER:
> 
> All references to characters, holidays, and places in the Blizzard-Activision game World of Warcraft belongs to them. This includes all player made characters as stated in the Terms of Service we all agree to when there is a new install/patch/etc.
> 
> The story idea itself was my own and the lore it refers to is a time during one of my characters lives. However, the time "Hallows End" and the Headless Horseman as well as his speech belong to Blizzard-Activision.
> 
> Hence anything that does not belong to Blizzard-Activision belongs to me and I claim as a part of my own copyright ©2015 VLGardner


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